Today's Markets Share Similarities with the 1990s, Yet We're Not Experiencing a Bubble.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 16 2025
0mins
Should l Buy META?
Source: Barron's
Comparison to the 1990s: Investors are drawing parallels between today's equity markets and the late 1990s, particularly due to significant market gains.
S&P 500 Performance: The S&P 500 experienced over 20% growth for five consecutive years from 1995 to 1999, largely driven by the internet boom.
Current Market Drivers: Today's equity market gains are partly attributed to a substantial increase in spending related to artificial intelligence (AI).
Historical Context: The rise in AI-related investments is reminiscent of the technological advancements that fueled the market in the late 1990s.
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Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 654.070
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 654.070
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
About META
Meta Platforms, Inc. is building human connections, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. The Company's products enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), and wearables. It also helps people discover and learn about what is going on in the world around them, enabling people to share their experiences, ideas, photos, videos, and other content with audiences ranging from their closest family members and friends to the public at large. The Company's segments include Family of Apps (FoA) and Reality Labs (RL). FoA segment includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. RL segment includes its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality related consumer hardware, software and content. Its product offerings in VR include its Meta Quest devices, as well as software and content available through the Meta Horizon Store.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Investment Opportunity Amid Meta Platforms' Stock Pullback
- Advertising Revenue Growth: Meta's revenue in Q4 2025 rose 24% year-over-year to $59.9 billion, driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions, indicating strong user engagement; despite a slowdown in ad price growth, the sheer volume of ads suggests sustained competitiveness in the advertising market.
- Expanding User Base: The company reported 3.58 billion daily active users in December, a 7% increase year-over-year, providing robust support for future revenue growth, with management guiding for Q1 2026 revenue between $53.5 billion and $56.5 billion, implying approximately 30% year-over-year growth.
- Strong Financial Position: Despite heavy investments in AI infrastructure, Meta generated $43.6 billion in free cash flow in 2025, ending the year with $81.6 billion in cash and equivalents, significantly exceeding $58.7 billion in long-term debt, thus providing ample financial flexibility for ambitious projects.
- Surging Capital Expenditures: Meta's capital expenditures reached $72.2 billion in 2025, with expectations to rise dramatically to $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026, reflecting a 73% year-over-year increase; while this presents growth opportunities, it may also pressure free cash flow and profit margins, necessitating careful risk assessment by investors.
See More
Meta Acquires AI Networking Platform Moltbook
- Acquisition Deal: Meta has acquired the social networking platform Moltbook for an undisclosed amount, with the deal expected to close in mid-March, which will further enhance Meta's positioning in the AI sector.
- Founders Joining: Moltbook's founders, Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr, will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs, likely bringing new perspectives and innovations to Meta's AI initiatives.
- Platform Background: Launched in late January 2023, Moltbook aims to provide an experimental 'third space' for AI agents, developed significantly with the help of Schlicht's personal AI assistant, Clawd Clawderberg.
- Customer Service Continuity: Meta has stated that existing Moltbook customers can temporarily continue using the platform, ensuring user experience remains unaffected while preparing for future integration.
See More
Meta Acquires Moltbook and Welcomes Two Founders to the MSL Team
Meta's Acquisition: Meta has acquired Moltbook, a social network specifically designed for AI agents, which has been highly anticipated in the tech community.
Founders Joining Meta: The founders of Moltbook, Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr, will be joining Meta's Superintelligence Labs (MSL) as part of the acquisition.
Leadership: The acquisition and integration of Moltbook into Meta's operations will be led by former Scale AI CEO, Alexandr Wang.
Focus on AI Development: This move reflects Meta's ongoing commitment to advancing AI technologies and enhancing its capabilities in the field.
See More
META PURCHASES MOLTBOOK - AXIOS
Meta's Acquisition: Meta has acquired the company Moltbook, enhancing its capabilities in the digital space.
Strategic Move: This acquisition is part of Meta's strategy to expand its offerings and strengthen its position in the market.
See More
Meta's 2026 Capital Expenditure Forecast Exceeds $100 Billion
- Surge in Capital Expenditures: Meta forecasts capital expenditures between $115 billion and $135 billion for 2026, nearly doubling from $72.2 billion in 2025, indicating a significant commitment to infrastructure despite potential pressure on free cash flow.
- Strong Financial Performance: Despite the substantial increase in capital spending, Meta generated $115.8 billion in operating cash flow and $60.5 billion in net income in 2025, demonstrating the company's ability to support its expansion plans while maintaining a robust financial foundation.
- Advertising Revenue Growth: Meta reported a 24% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4, driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions and a 6% rise in average ad prices, providing strong support for its future capital expenditures.
- AI Investment Outlook: Zuckerberg indicated that 2026 will be a pivotal year for AI acceleration, and while the market remains cautious about capital expenditures, Meta's strategic investments could yield substantial returns for shareholders in the long run.
See More
Meta's 2026 Capital Expenditures Expected to Reach $115 Billion
- Surge in Capital Expenditures: Meta's management forecasts capital expenditures to reach between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026, nearly doubling from $72.2 billion in 2025, indicating that such massive infrastructure investments may pressure free cash flow and impact stock performance.
- Strong Operating Cash Flow: Despite the high spending, Meta generated $115.8 billion in operating cash flow and $60.5 billion in net income in 2025, demonstrating the robust profitability of its core platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which can support future investments.
- Revenue Growth Momentum: Meta reported a 24% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4, driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions and a 6% rise in average ad prices, providing strong financial backing for its 2026 spending plans, with Q1 revenue expected to grow by about 30%.
- AI Investment Outlook: Zuckerberg stated that 2026 will be a pivotal year for AI acceleration, and while the market may be skeptical about high expenditures, his confidence in capital allocation could attract long-term investors, especially given the company's historically strong performance.
See More
Investment Opportunity Amid Meta Platforms' Stock Pullback
- Advertising Revenue Growth: Meta's revenue in Q4 2025 rose 24% year-over-year to $59.9 billion, driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions, indicating strong user engagement; despite a slowdown in ad price growth, the sheer volume of ads suggests sustained competitiveness in the advertising market.
- Expanding User Base: The company reported 3.58 billion daily active users in December, a 7% increase year-over-year, providing robust support for future revenue growth, with management guiding for Q1 2026 revenue between $53.5 billion and $56.5 billion, implying approximately 30% year-over-year growth.
- Strong Financial Position: Despite heavy investments in AI infrastructure, Meta generated $43.6 billion in free cash flow in 2025, ending the year with $81.6 billion in cash and equivalents, significantly exceeding $58.7 billion in long-term debt, thus providing ample financial flexibility for ambitious projects.
- Surging Capital Expenditures: Meta's capital expenditures reached $72.2 billion in 2025, with expectations to rise dramatically to $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026, reflecting a 73% year-over-year increase; while this presents growth opportunities, it may also pressure free cash flow and profit margins, necessitating careful risk assessment by investors.
See More
Meta Acquires AI Networking Platform Moltbook
- Acquisition Deal: Meta has acquired the social networking platform Moltbook for an undisclosed amount, with the deal expected to close in mid-March, which will further enhance Meta's positioning in the AI sector.
- Founders Joining: Moltbook's founders, Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr, will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs, likely bringing new perspectives and innovations to Meta's AI initiatives.
- Platform Background: Launched in late January 2023, Moltbook aims to provide an experimental 'third space' for AI agents, developed significantly with the help of Schlicht's personal AI assistant, Clawd Clawderberg.
- Customer Service Continuity: Meta has stated that existing Moltbook customers can temporarily continue using the platform, ensuring user experience remains unaffected while preparing for future integration.
See More
Meta Acquires Moltbook and Welcomes Two Founders to the MSL Team
Meta's Acquisition: Meta has acquired Moltbook, a social network specifically designed for AI agents, which has been highly anticipated in the tech community.
Founders Joining Meta: The founders of Moltbook, Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr, will be joining Meta's Superintelligence Labs (MSL) as part of the acquisition.
Leadership: The acquisition and integration of Moltbook into Meta's operations will be led by former Scale AI CEO, Alexandr Wang.
Focus on AI Development: This move reflects Meta's ongoing commitment to advancing AI technologies and enhancing its capabilities in the field.
See More
META PURCHASES MOLTBOOK - AXIOS
Meta's Acquisition: Meta has acquired the company Moltbook, enhancing its capabilities in the digital space.
Strategic Move: This acquisition is part of Meta's strategy to expand its offerings and strengthen its position in the market.
See More
Meta's 2026 Capital Expenditure Forecast Exceeds $100 Billion
- Surge in Capital Expenditures: Meta forecasts capital expenditures between $115 billion and $135 billion for 2026, nearly doubling from $72.2 billion in 2025, indicating a significant commitment to infrastructure despite potential pressure on free cash flow.
- Strong Financial Performance: Despite the substantial increase in capital spending, Meta generated $115.8 billion in operating cash flow and $60.5 billion in net income in 2025, demonstrating the company's ability to support its expansion plans while maintaining a robust financial foundation.
- Advertising Revenue Growth: Meta reported a 24% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4, driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions and a 6% rise in average ad prices, providing strong support for its future capital expenditures.
- AI Investment Outlook: Zuckerberg indicated that 2026 will be a pivotal year for AI acceleration, and while the market remains cautious about capital expenditures, Meta's strategic investments could yield substantial returns for shareholders in the long run.
See More
Meta's 2026 Capital Expenditures Expected to Reach $115 Billion
- Surge in Capital Expenditures: Meta's management forecasts capital expenditures to reach between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026, nearly doubling from $72.2 billion in 2025, indicating that such massive infrastructure investments may pressure free cash flow and impact stock performance.
- Strong Operating Cash Flow: Despite the high spending, Meta generated $115.8 billion in operating cash flow and $60.5 billion in net income in 2025, demonstrating the robust profitability of its core platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which can support future investments.
- Revenue Growth Momentum: Meta reported a 24% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4, driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions and a 6% rise in average ad prices, providing strong financial backing for its 2026 spending plans, with Q1 revenue expected to grow by about 30%.
- AI Investment Outlook: Zuckerberg stated that 2026 will be a pivotal year for AI acceleration, and while the market may be skeptical about high expenditures, his confidence in capital allocation could attract long-term investors, especially given the company's historically strong performance.
See More
